Kelly Jacques and Samantha Weiss are the co-owners of Ayu Bakehouse, a beloved modern bakery in New Orleans. Friends and longtime colleagues, the two have built Ayu into a destination known for its creative interpretation of global flavors—from Kelly’s Southeast Asian heritage and Samantha’s New York upbringing to their shared adoptive hometown, New Orleans.

As chef, Kelly leads the bakery’s culinary vision, while Samantha leverages her extensive finance background and operational expertise to steer the business. Together, they have parlayed a shared passion for mentorship into initiatives like Ayu Schoolhouse, a paid employee benefit focused on entrepreneurial and practical skills, earning recognition from the IRC and Chase Innovator Awards in 2026.

Within its first year, Ayu Bakehouse was featured in Southern Living’s “40 Best Restaurants in New Orleans For Every Price Point,” and in 2024, Bon Appétit named it one of the most exciting bakeries in the country. The bakery has since earned praise in Food & Wine, Bloomberg, and The Infatuation, and its king cake was voted best in New Orleans in NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune’s readers’ choice king cake bracket. In 2025, Kelly was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs.